Facilities Management 2017 enhances educational programme

This year, the show’s new organisers, Western Business Exhibitions, have focused on building its success by developing a leading content programme designed to help visitors gather information and provoke new ways of doing business in FM.  

The must-attend event for all cleaning professionals returns under the theme FM: The Business Enabler, with 18 CPD accredited seminars and keynote talks over the three days, across two theatres.

The sessions in both theatres - FM Matters and FM Dialogue - will explore how FM can move from cost centre to business enabler. They will give delegates the knowledge, tools and techniques to take back to their organisations and make an immediate impact on their business and bottom line.

A wide range of exhibitors from across the cleaning sector will be populating the exhibition hall including the specialised ductwork cleaners Ductbusters, MTS Cleaning Services and Hygiene Solutions. 

The show is free to attend and seminars work on a drop-in basis. Registration in advance is a must and can be completed at www.fm-birmingham.com.

FM Matters theatre 

In the FM Matters theatre, there will be the opportunity to hear from a number of established industry speakers, including Anne Lennox-Martin, managing director at FMP360, Preston Gan, head of quality and performance for facilities and estates at NHS Grampian, Ian Ellison and Jill Fortune of 3edges and Lillian Antonio, senior ergonomist at Herman Miller. 

The topics for discussion will range from social ergonomics in workplace design, to behavioural change and the impact on FM, and how collaboration brings value by aligning FM services to an organisation’s strategic goals. 

Helping FMs to understand the psychology behind overcoming challenges, renowned polar explorer Mark Wood will share what he has learnt from his time leading people on expeditions across the planet’s extremes.

The team from Johnson and Johnson, Sodexo and Kentish and Co, which was highly commended at 2016’s BIFM Awards, will speak about how ‘marriage guidance’ style training created a safe environment to take small steps out of their comfort zone to achieve powerful results. Cyber security expert Mike Gilles will educate delegates about the threat on FM from cyberspace. 

FM Dialogue theatre 

In the FM Dialogue theatre, a top line-up of industry specialists will debate whether FM should be sector rather than service line based, who FM’s natural business partners are and who poses a threat. What are FM’s values and how can this be communicated to UK PLC and what makes a good FM and how should we train the next generation of facilities professionals.

Visitors can have their burning questions answered by industry experts from a range of leading organisations including NHS Grampian, KBR and Sheffield Hallam University.

Exhibitors 

Facilities Management 2017 will offer a comprehensive range of innovative products and services from over 200 leading suppliers including: British Gas, the UK’s largest energy and services suppliers, Coinadrink refreshment services and the award-winning stairlift specialists Stannah Lift Services.

To see all cleaning and hygiene exhibitors please visit www.fm-birmingham.com.

Event director, Tim Else commented: “Looking at the fantastic content we have put together in collaboration with FM industry experts, the world-class speakers and the volume and quality of exhibitors signed-up to the show already, we are hugely excited to open this event’s doors for the first time in March. It is going to be the show of the year for all FM professionals.”